good morning mister president

It's been a while since I have written. Sorry followers (though few you may be; what we lack in numbers, we exceed in awesomeness), I'll get more on the ball about that.

School is going. My first assignment is due on Thursday, but I'm on too worried. This is going to be a time consuming semester. The real trick is going to be managing my time. I'm doing okay so far.

Notable things since last post:
deer running down my street in the middle of the afternoon.
invited to Frances cake. (to be take 14) - the first one of the year!
missed out on snowboarding with Sarah.
started running every day (okay, I only started yesterday, but that's two days in a row)
nd sadly missed out on the inaugural ceremony.

I didn't get a chance to listen/watch the new president of the United States give his inaugural address, but on my way to school, I had NPR on the radio, and I caught the tail end of the ceremony; I heard the poem and benedictory prayer. I've been thinking a lot about what I heard. Here's what I took out of it:

Elizabeth Alexander:

...Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."

Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.

What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light...

Rev. Joseph Lowery:

...we come in a spirit of unity and solidarity to commit our support to our president by our willingness to make sacrifices, to respect your creation, to turn to each other and not on each other.

And now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance...

...With your hands of power and your heart of love, help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nations shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid.

I noticed a theme within those that spoke today (while I was listening of course). One word: Love... okay, in two words: Love and Tolerance. (does 'and' count as a word, because that would make it three) What a grand message to share with the American people, or even with the world. In my opinion, we as the human race need to love more.

Love family.

Love friends.

Love neighbors.

Love your leaders.

Love those you lead.

Most importantly (and sadly hardest to do), Love yourself.

My friend Frances, with whom I'll be making Frances cake, has a sort of tradition each year to dedicate the year to something to become, "The Year of ____." Most of the time, the blank is filled with "Frances," but if I remember correctly, her father convinced her to fill that with something more. So 2008 was "The Year of Jesus." What I neat idea though. To dedicate a year of loving yourself, and in turn loving others through loving yourself.

May the new presidency be a presidency of love, of patience, of understanding, of tolerance. And may we be the nation and people of love, of patience, of understanding, of tolerance.